Enhanced beamforming training in a wireless local area networks

Abstract

Apparatus, computer readable media, and methods for enhanced beamforming training in a wireless local area network are disclosed. An apparatus of a access point or station is disclosed. The apparatus including processing circuitry where the processing circuitry is configured to encode an EBRP packet comprising a first portion comprising an indication of a first number of transmit antenna training settings (N-TX), and an indication of a second number of receive training subfields per N-TX settings (N-RX), and a second portion comprising a third number of training subfields. The third number may be less than or equal to N-TX times N-RX. The processing circuitry may be configured to cause the first portion of the EBRP packet to be transmitted and cause the second portion to be transmitted, where two or more of the third number of training subfields are to be transmitted simultaneously using different antennas and orthogonal sequences.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus of an enhanced directional multi-gigabit (EDMG) station (STA), the apparatus comprising:
 memory; and 
 physical layer (PHY) circuitry coupled to the memory, 
 wherein the EDMG STA is configured to operate as an initiator and to participate in training with a plurality of responder stations, 
 wherein the PHY circuitry is configured to transmit and receive EDMG physical layer (PHY) protocol data units (PPDUs), 
 wherein as part of the training, the PHY circuitry is configured to:
 encode an EDMG beam refining protocol (BRP) packet as a physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) to generate an EDMG PPDU, the EDMG PPDU packet generated by the processing circuitry to include: 
 a legacy short training field (L-STF); 
 a legacy channel training field (L-CEF); 
 a legacy header (L-Header) field; 
 an EDMG-Header-A field; and 
 a training (TRN) field including a plurality of TRN units, 
 wherein the EDMG-Header-A field comprises a transmit number that corresponds to a number of TRN-Units present in the TRN field of the EDGM PPDU, 
 wherein the TRN-units comprise training sequences for transmission to the responder stations for antenna training, 
 wherein the PHY circuitry is further configured to cause the EDMG STA to transmit the EDGM PPDU including the TRN field, 
 wherein transmission of the TRN field comprises transmission of a number of orthogonal waveforms, the number of orthogonal waveforms corresponding to a number of transmit chains used in transmission of the EDMG PPDU, and 
 wherein the PHY circuitry is configured to transmit the orthogonal waveforms simultaneously to train multiple antennas. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the PHY circuitry is further configured to encode the EDMG PPDU to include a plurality of association identifiers (AIDs), wherein the AIDs are addressed to the responder stations to request feedback. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the PHY circuitry is further configured to decode feedback from at least some of the responder stations. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the PHY circuitry is further configured to:
 encode a sequence of enhanced beam refinement protocol (EBRP) frames based on the feedback from the responder stations; and 
 cause the EDMG STA to transmit the sequence of EBRP feedback frames to the responder stations. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the PHY circuitry is further configured to:
 encode a poll frame for transmission to each responder station of the plurality of responder stations corresponding to the AIDs; and 
 decode the feedback from at least some of the responder stations in response to the poll frame. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the EDMG STA is configured to operate as
 an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) 802.11ay access point, or an IEEE 802.11ay station. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the PHY circuitry comprises: transceiver circuitry; wherein the EDMG STA further comprises a plurality of antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry, and wherein the memory is configured for storing the EDMG PPDU. 
     
     
       8. A method for operating an enhanced directional multi-gigabit (EDMG) station (STA) configured as an initiator and to participate in training with a plurality of responder stations, the EDMG STA capable of transmitting and receiving EDMG physical layer (PHY) protocol data units (PPDUs), the method performed by PHY circuitry and memory, the method comprising:
 encoding an EDMG beam refining protocol (BRP) packet as a physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) PPDU to generate an EDMG PPDU, the EDMG PPDU generated to include: 
 a legacy short training field (L-STF); 
 a legacy channel training field (L-CEF); 
 a legacy header (L-Header) field; 
 an EDMG-Header-A field; and 
 a training (TRN) field including a plurality of TRN units, 
 wherein the EDMG-Header-A field comprises a transmit number that corresponds to a number of TRN-Units present in the TRN field of the EDGM PPDU, 
 wherein the TRN-units comprise training sequences for transmission to the responder stations for antenna training; and 
 transmitting the EDGM PPDU including the TRN field, 
 wherein transmission of the TRN field comprises transmission of a number of orthogonal waveforms, the number of orthogonal waveforms corresponding to a number of transmit chains used in transmission of the EDMG PPDU, and 
 wherein the orthogonal waveforms are transmitted simultaneously to train multiple antennas. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 encoding the EDMG PPDU to include a plurality of association identifiers (AIDs), wherein the AIDs are addressed to the responder stations to request feedback. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 decoding the feedback from at least some of the responder stations. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 encoding a sequence of enhanced beam refinement protocol (EBRP) frames based on the feedback from the responder stations; and 
 causing the EDMG STA to transmit the sequence of EBRP feedback frames to the responder stations. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 encoding a poll frame for transmission to each responder station of the plurality of responder stations corresponding to the AIDs; 
 and 
 decoding the feedback from at least some of the responder stations in response to the poll frame. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 8 , wherein the EDMG STA is configured to operate as
 an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) 802.11ay access point, or an IEEE 802.11ay station. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 8 , wherein transmitting the EDMG PPDU comprises
 transmitting the EDMG PPDU via transceiver circuitry and a plurality of antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry. 
 
     
     
       15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an apparatus of an enhanced directional multi-gigabit (EDMG) station (STA), the instructions to configure the EDMG STA to operate as an initiator and to participate in training with a plurality of responder stations, the EDMG STA capable of transmitting and receiving EDMG physical layer (PHY) protocol data units (PPDUs),
 wherein the instructions to configure the one or more processors to:
 encode an EDMG beam refining protocol (BRP) packet as a physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) to generate an EDMG PPDU, the EDMG PPDU packet generated by the processing circuitry to include: 
 a legacy short training field (L-STF); 
 a legacy channel training field (L-CEF); 
 a legacy header (L-Header) field; 
 an EDMG-Header-A field; and 
 a training (TRN) field including a plurality of TRN units, 
 wherein the EDMG-Header-A field comprises a transmit number that corresponds to a number of TRN-Units present in the TRN field of the EDGM PPDU, 
 wherein the TRN-units comprise training sequences for transmission to the responder stations for antenna training, 
 wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to cause the EDMG station to transmit the EDMG PPDU including the TRN field, 
 wherein transmission of the TRN field comprises transmission of a number of orthogonal waveforms, the number of orthogonal waveforms corresponding to a number of transmit chains used in transmission of the EDMG PPDU, and 
 wherein the orthogonal waveforms are transmitted simultaneously to train multiple antennas. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:
 encode the EDMG PPDU to include a plurality of association identifiers (AIDs), wherein the AIDs are addressed to the responder stations to request feedback to the initiator station. 
 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to decode feedback from the responder stations. 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:
 encode a sequence of enhanced beam refinement protocol (EBRP) frames based on the feedback from the responder stations; and 
 cause the EDMG STA to transmit the sequence of EBRP feedback frames to the responder stations. 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to:
 encode a poll frame for transmission to each responder station corresponding to the AIDs; 
 and 
 decode the feedback from the responder stations in response to the poll frame. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions configure the one or more processors for operation as
 an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (IEEE) 802.11ay access point, or an IEEE 802.11ay station. 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the one or more processors to signal transceiver circuitry to transmit the EDMG PPDU utilizing a plurality of antennas coupled to the transceiver circuitry.